Sailing the British Virgin Islands
This past June, we went sailing in the British Virgin Islands with my parents for the first time! My parents have been going every year (sometimes twice each year!) for the past 8 years or so, and we have been itching to go with. Our kids were finally old enough that we felt we could go and all enjoy the trip. They did great! All the kids were respectful of boat safety, travelled well, and we all had a blast.
So, after about a year of planning, we set off for our big adventure! We took four adults and three kids ages 13, 9, & 7. I’ve gone into all the details in this post – including our route, things about the boat, our favorite islands, and things you need to know if you plan to take this kind of trip!
Sailing the Virgin Islands – We had the Best Captain!
Who sailed the boat? My dad! He is an amazing captain! He sailed with ease. Gene and mom helped with mooring, the sails, and other boat duties. I played passenger princess, per usual, and stayed on sunscreen and lifejacket duty with the kids.
Sailing the British Virgin Islands – The Route
When sailing the British Virgin Islands, people tend to travel counter-clockwise, which is fun because you meet several people and see several boats along the way on the same track and timeline as you. We started in Tortola, then hopped down to Cooper Island and started our route from there.
- Night 1: Tortola
- Night 2: Cooper Island
- Night 3: Virgin Gorda, North Sound
- Night 4: Virgin Gorda, Leverick Bay
- Night 5: Anegada
- Night 6: Anegada
- Night 7: Jost Van Dyke
- Night 8: Norman Island, The Bight
- Night 9: Norman Island, The Bight
Sailing the Virgin Islands – The Boat
We sailed on a 42ft Lagoon Sailing Catamaran. It was amazing! The boat had 4 cabins (rooms), and 4 heads (bathrooms). We also had a full kitchen, seating area, lounging area on the top, front, and back of the boat, and a dinghy to take us from the mooring field to the islands. (The moorings fields are where everyone parks their boats for the night – more on that later!)
I was a little nervous about being in such close quarters the entire time, but it never really felt tight. We each had our own rooms, and there was plenty of room to spread out on the deck. We also spent most of our time on shore, so we all had plenty of time and space apart 😉
How did you shower?
Each bathroom had its own shower! The biggest hurdle to showering is that water is in shortage. While we could refill the boat with water for dishes and showering at certain islands, not all islands had a place to fill up. So, we took short showers, turned the water off when scrubbing, and even showered ashore at some of the yacht clubs when it was available.
The shower and sinks utilized the fresh water that was stocked on the boat, the toilets flushed with sea water, so no need to preserve water there. No TP in the toilet! A big habit change for all of us! A clogged septic system on the boat = hefty fees. Dad was sure to put some extra fear into the children before setting sail, and we reminded them there wasn’t enough allowance money to cover replacing the yacht’s toilets. Ha!
Can You Cook on The Boat?
The full kitchen really helped make snacks and meals easy, especially with the kids. We were able to cook all of our breakfasts on the boat, and usually made a packed lunch to take with us ashore or came back to the boat for hot dogs mid-day. Most of our dinners were ashore at various beach clubs and restaurants. We also had a refrigerator and a couple coolers on the boat for all of our drinks.
How Did You Get Groceries?
There were a few items that travel well that we brought with us – tortillas, pop tarts, candy and snacks, and granola bars. Everything else, we ordered before we left for the trip. The marina we sailed out of had a grocery store nearby that delivered provisions straight to the boat. The groceries were pricey! Everything is more expensive there due to having to get so much imported. That said, we were able to get a lot of our usual grocery staples – eggs ($18/dozen!), milk, lunchmeat, cheeses, fruits, wine & other drinks, juices, etc.
We planned for all our breakfasts and lunches on the boat and most dinners ashore. Breakfasts were usually handheld items that were easy to make and eat on the boat (breakfast burritos and sandwiches). Lunches were typically hot dogs or cold cuts, fruit, and cheese & crackers. We also had a blender, which was great because the kids enjoyed 1,682 virgin Strawberry Daquiris, Pina Coladas, and Miami Vices – ha! And of course, the adults all enjoyed several frozen drinks too.
Night 1: Tortola
The first night we arrived, we stayed on the boat docked at the marina. This allowed us time to get provisions delivered and get all our belongings unpacked and settled. We enjoyed a beachfront dinner that night, the kids enjoyed the pool at the marina, and we all went to bed early after a long day of travel. We spent some time checking out the boat, and the other boats at the marina.
We set sail the next morning for Cooper Island, which took about 2.5 hours.
Night 2: Cooper Island
We arrived at Cooper Island mid-morning, moored, and spent the day snorkeling, paddle boarding, and lounging on the beach. The water and sea life at Cooper Island were beautiful! Visibility in the water was at least 30 feet, and we could see starfish on the sea floor from in the boat. We spent one night at Cooper Island, which was plenty. We ate dinner on shore that evening, and while the food wasn’t our favorite, we did enjoy the beautiful beach club, drinks, and playing darts. It was a great start to the trip!
Also, for Below Deck: Sailing Yacht fans – we ran into Captain Glenn on our first night on Cooper Island, and we saw him the next 5 days – ha! Because most people take similar routes around the islands (counter clockwise), you end up seeing a lot of familiar faces through the week at different stops.
Night 3: Virgin Gorda, North Sound
Bitter End Yacht Club
The next day we set sail to Virgin Gorda – which was about a 2.5 hour trip. We spent two nights on Virgin Gorda, with the first night being in the North Sound. We moored at Bitter End Yacht Club and spent the day mostly on shore enjoying the lovely amenities and the beach! Bitter End Yacht Club had plenty of loungers and hammocks, a deck for the kids to jump off, and swings in the water. This was one of my favorite stops, and definitely one of the nicest yacht clubs we stopped at.
We also took a short water taxi ride to Saba Rock, where the kids got to feed massive Tarpon. It was a fun experience for them! We didn’t spend much time at Saba Rock, but it was likewise a very nice resort and would love to spend more time there our next trip.
The Rum Runner
The other fun part of North Sound is the Rum Runner! Drake the pup is a local celebrity in the area. He works hard all summer bringing drinks to tourists, and they were delicious! And talk about great service – we didn’t even have to leave the boat 🙂
Night 4: Virgin Gordan, Leverick Bay & The Baths
The Baths
The next day we made the short trip to another bay on Virgin Gorda – Leverick Bay. From there we took a taxi to The Baths. I would consider this a must do if you are in the British Virgin Islands! Why are there massive granite rocks in the middle of the ocean on an island? I have no idea, but they are beautiful! The water there was crystal clear and it really was a breathtaking experience.
You can access The Baths two ways – taking a taxi to the starting point and hiking down to it, or anchoring in the bay and swimming ashore. We weren’t sure if we would get a spot in the bay to anchor, and we were unsure of the kids stamina with swimming, so we opted to taxi and hike.
Leverick Bay Resort
After the baths we headed back to the boat, and I took the kids to the resort pool for a swim. We got ready and had dinner that night at Leverick Bay Resort. We enjoyed a beach BBQ with entertainment from the Moko Jumbies and Fire Dancers. It was so fun! There was also a DJ and a dance floor so we all danced the night away together and just had the best time. This night was a highlight of the trip!
Night 5 & 6: Anegada
Cow Wreck & Tipsy’s Beach Bar
The next morning we set sail to Anegada. It was a 5-6 hour sail, with no land in sight! We got in a lot of sailing time on the way. Dad, Gene, & Kip enjoyed hoisting the sails and steering the boat, while mom and I enjoyed mimosas on the front loungers.
Our first day on Anegada we spent the day a Cow Wreck Beach and Tipsy’s Beach Bar. The water on Anegada was light, crystal blue with white sand beaches. Unfortunately we were there when the beaches were covered in sargassum, but we still loved spending the day on the secluded beach. We probably saw 50 other people total the entire day! Tipsy’s Beach Bar had so many fun activities which the whole family loved!
Dinner at Potter’s by the Sea
We ended the first day at Potter’s By the Sea, and enjoyed Sam’s famous chargrilled Caribbean lobster. Another night, another beach club, another dance floor. We danced the night away and the kids entered the limbo contest.
Anegada Day 2
Conch Island and Horseshoe Reef
Day 2 in Anegada was probably, for me, the highlight of the entire trip. We took an excursion out to conch island. This is a massive island made of conch shells that have been tossed on it for centuries. The local lore is that when conch are harvested from their shells, they release a chemical signal into the local area that signal other conch to leave. Anegada has an extensive conch breeding area. When local fishermen harvest the conch, they toss the shells into a single pile on a different part of the island to maintain the breeding population.
We started the excursion snorkeling Horseshoe Reef – the third largest barrier reef in the world! It was phenomenal, with so much untouched and unbothered marine life. The kids dove for conch and our guide harvested 3 for us and made conch ceviche on the boat – it was good! After that, we boated to conch island to make a wish and toss the shells onto the island. We also snorkeled the area and saw massive stingrays (some 4-5 feet wide) up close and personal.
The reef, the island, the marine life – it was all truly awe-inspiring. I teared up on the boat ride back, just overwhelmed by it all! I was moved to tears and felt profoundly grateful to have experienced such beauty with my family. There have been several times through my life where I have seen, felt, and experienced God in such tangible ways and this was one of those moments. God, in his loving kindness, created such phenomenal places on this earth for us to enjoy. I couldn’t be more grateful for that.
We wrapped up the evening at a beachside restaurant, relaxing in hammocks, and wading in the water. It was the perfect ending to the most perfect day!
Night 6: Jost Van Dyke
The next morning we made the trip back to the main islands and to Jost Van Dyke, which was about 6 hours of sail time. Once again – no land in sight, just blue waters, sails up, and salty breeze. We spent the day on Jost at Soggy Dollar – which is a BVI icon! We had the best time this day.
The beach was by far the most beautiful beach I’ve seen in my entire life! We enjoyed lunch at Hendo’s next door, drinks on the beach, and a lot of relaxing beach time. This was definitely a busier beach, as it’s a popular stop. But, with the crowds comes a ton of fun energy, music, meeting new people – we loved it and will definitely be back!
Nights 7 & 8: Norman Island, The Bight
Pirate’s Bight
And now – one of my favorite islands of the whole trip. The Bight at Norman Island was fantastic! It was all my favorite things about various stops rolled into one island- a nice beach bar & restaurant, lounge chairs, clear waters, and fantastic snorkeling with tons of sea life! We spent two nights in The Bight and two full days on shore at Pirate’s Bight (restaurant and beach club) and I’m so glad we did.
The bay didn’t have a ton of traffic, so it was a great place to paddle board. We paddle boarded from the boat in the mooring field to the shore, and spent the day relaxing on the beach and snorkeling in the bay. The amount of fish, sting rays, and turtles we saw was amazing! The water was so clear. We were so close to the turtles we could literally touch them.
Willy T’s
We also got to jump off of the iconic Willy T’s boat – which is essentially just a run-down boat that serves dive bar food and has a 10 foot platform to jump off the back. The kids jumped several times and had a blast!
Headed Home
After two nights in The Bight on Norman Island it was time to head back to Tortola to turn the boat back into the marina and head home. All good things must come to an end! My world was rocking and moving for about 2-3 days after spending a week on a sailboat. We were so tired from travel when we got home. But, after resting up for a couple of days we were ready to go back!
My BVI Must-Dos
So, what would I recommend everyone do in the BVI at least once? And what’s on my radar to do again when we go back?
- Conch Island Tour – this was worth its weight in gold. If you enjoy snorkeling and marine life this is really a must-do. Our guide was fantastic and knowledgeable, and the whole family had a fantastic time. And Horseshoe Reef is the third largest barrier reef in the world! I wouldn’t necessarily say we would need to do this every time we go, just due to cost alone, but it is worth every penny to do it at least once. Honestly this was an experience I’ll treasure my entire life.
- Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke – you don’t have to enjoy a famous Painkiller to enjoy the beaches in White Bay (although the painkiller certainly doesn’t hurt!). The crystal clear blue waters and white sands of White Bay are breathtakingly beautiful. Soggy Dollar is especially fun if you enjoy good vibes and a energetic beach scene – this is the place to go. People, music, games, food & drink. What’s not to love?
- Pirate’s Bight – the perfect balance of quiet, secluded beach time and water activities. This place is perfect for families! It is an offered excursion for several cruise lines, but once the cruise guests leave around lunch time the beach quiets down and there is no shortage of loungers and private beach space. And the turtles! Watching the turtles pop up for air and dive back down to eat more grass was the cutest thing I saw the whole week (maybe this whole year). You get to swim so close to them! We also saw several types of massive rays, and tons of other coral, fish, anemones, etc.
- The Baths – you need to see this at least once! Its beautiful! I’m not sure this would be on my must-do list when we go back (my mom would disagree, and would go every single time!), but it’s certainly worth the hike to see the massive granite rocks and beautiful waters. I think if we did it again I would like to anchor and swim up just to experience it in a new way.
Would We Sail the BVI Again?
ABSOLUTELY! This was such an incredible trip and we can’t wait to go back. I could never express my gratitude towards my parents for chartering the boat – mom and dad, you guys are just the best. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! You have gifted us with the most fun experience and memories.
I am so glad my kids got to do this and experience it all. I loved seeing all the wonder through their eyes. And I loved enjoying a place my parents have loved for the better part of a decade. Getting to share in their love and excitement for the island, the people they know there, and the places they love – it was truly unforgettable.
I know this is a slight deviation from my typical content, but I had to share! Got questions about our trip? Chartering a sail boat? The route? Ask me in the comments – I would love to hear from you!
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